Royal Rangers in 2014

I've done much the same with my guys.

Overall, we follow the TracClub Bible Merits. But now with the new "flexibility", if we have a special subject come up like Thanksgiving or Good Friday, we can insert a related ad-hoc Bible lesson, and the boys won't lose any ground towards earning their merits.

My position is if the ER counts, and even Sundays count, why not? It's a Ranger bible lesson.

I agree, I just emailed JR awhile ago to be sure if the same sc lesson would count toward ER advancement. I recall there was some wires crossed on RF about double dipping green merits for GEA and GMA. Ray Skinner was pretty steamed when I brought that to his attn. Ray even made a rare visit to RF.  National had told him greens counted for both groups' elective track  

I don't think credit for other lessons is a bad thing just feels it waters things down, tryng to sell more patches, allow for 2 skill or 2 electives, and 2 bible merits per quarter for the absent Ranger or 3 qtr outpost. I asked John Hicks about the new system being designed for 3 qtr outpost if run Marriott style he said no. To Chris and me it seems obvious it works both ways.

There you have the difference between the men in the trenches vs the men back in hq making policies. They come up with "options" for their "ideas", then pass the batton to us. We then take what they give us, read it, (maybe for the 1st time), disect it, and see the best way to apply it to our men

Grin. I had the same thing happen to me on Ranger of the Year. I was specific on the Ranger Kids and found out they could choose any path they wanted...GRIN! Made my pride and joy program that did all the counting and tallying for not. It was still useable but broke.
Now adays I just track the info. Then pull reports on the latest whim of the national office advancement system..GRIN! We have advancement charts recently hung on the walls for Ranger Basics and Ranger Essentials that are incorrect. GRIN!... I just walk up to them and rip them off the wall and say...no longer relevant..HA!

As Company Clerk I get FCF Applications from many sources...they are all different.. these guys in the offices..they think..a new form will fix it. GRIN! All it does is add confussion when they change it every other year.

It's all good then we change it again.
Mark Jones

RRCmdrBennett wrote:I agree, I just emailed JR awhile ago to be sure if the same sc lesson would count toward ER advancement. I recall there was some wires crossed on RF about double dipping green merits for GEA and GMA. Ray Skinner was pretty steamed when I brought that to his attn. Ray even made a rare visit to RF.  National had told him greens counted for both groups' elective track  

I don't think credit for other lessons is a bad thing just feels it waters things down, tryng to sell more patches, allow for 2 skill or 2 electives, and 2 bible merits per quarter for the absent Ranger or 3 qtr outpost. I asked John Hicks about the new system being designed for 3 qtr outpost if run Marriott style he said no. To Chris and me it seems obvious it works both ways.

Speaking of ROTY isn't that overdue as well?

A few years. They moved back some more..not ready for it... They are going to have to get people to read Doug's Books before they can start testing kids on them.

What are you going to test them on.
The proper way to kick folks off the bus is...
a. lock the door on them.
b. change the address on the church and paint it up like a bar.
c. bring in a rock and roll band and sing all your favorite old days drug smoking songs.
d. By a fleet of golf carts and not pick any of them up.
e. In the new coffee bar have young kids with their pants down to their you know whats and wired colored hair serve up coffee while wearing sandles.

GRIN...just having fun kind of like the prophet asking if their god was out to the bathroom.

ROTY will make them evaluate their program and look at how empty it is with out something "Ranger Related" to test with...ie. Bible, Camping, Nature, etc.

Psyco bable any answer can be the right answer..can't test on that stuff..it changes with the next degree.... GRIN!

Mark Jones

Bible, missions, first aid skills, healthy body, not much to test them on.

Mark Jones wrote: bring in a rock and roll band and sing all your favorite old days drug smoking songs.

Because it meant so much to him, someone was allowed to play guitar and sing "Desperado" during the offering last year. I cringed all the way through.  

It seems that "Religious" Folks either have the attitude that "whatever they want to do as Religious is OK" or else they are so Legalistic that no one can maintain their standards for longer than a few months.

God wants us to love, seek, and serve Him, but he wants us to enjoy the trip, too. What is so hard about that concept?

We're a species of extremes...

After reading Pauls adventure through life and the record in the Bible on the hardships and all.. I don't know if our life on this earth being happy go lucky is really what he expects from us. I see more of dying to self and preaching of the Gospel. We are not cursed by any means but I don't think a life of ease is God's first choice for us here on this earth. In the future.. not of this world we can expect Happy go blessed!

Mark Jones

Claymore wrote:It seems that "Religious" Folks either have the attitude that "whatever they want to do as Religious is OK" or else they are so Legalistic that no one can maintain their standards for longer than a few months.

God wants us to love, seek, and serve Him, but he wants us to enjoy the trip, too.   What is so hard about that concept?

I understand both pov's. Many become spiritually "fat" living on happiness instead of contentment and faith. 

I do believe in standards, personal convictions, and Grace.

The older I get the more I realize how short our life is on this earth. It's easy to get side tracked and get our attention on the temporal and loose site of eternity.

I struggle with that. Yet I am constantly remnded you can't take it with you. Only souls that accept Jesus Christ will pass the test and spend eterenity with us. God's Word says narrow is that gate. We must be about sharing the Gospel in a way God has called us to do so.

Mark Jones